Advantages and disadvantages of the main aquaponic systems

There are three commonly found aquaponic systems. Those are the most frequently used, but they also raise a specific question: which one is better? In order to find that answer, here are the main advantages and disadvantages of those three aquaponic systems.

The media bed technique

The perfect system for newcomers has a simple design.

It is easy to set up and you can use recycled items from your household. You can grow all sorts of crops, even those that tend to get a bit taller. You can employ with this method various irrigation techniques depending on the growing media you choose. If you opt for using bell siphons with it, you should know that this increases aeration. Another plus is the fact that you will use little energy from your grid. But the media bed technique has disadvantages too. First of all, it ends up being a pretty heavy system, due to the amount of growing media required. Furthermore, flooding and draining need special attention because of the amount of water present. In other words, it requires hard work and special attention to details.

The nutrient film technique

The nutrient film technique is a bit more expensive than the media bed, but it represents a light weight system that is perfect for growing all sorts of herbs and green crops. It does not need intense work and it is easy to maintain. The nutrient film technique is one of the most appreciated methods in hydroponics. The disadvantages of this method are few. There is always the need of complex filtering and the water and air pump are a must. Furthermore, you will need electricity in order to keep the system going which means that the expenses will be higher. Also, if it happens to be a power outage, you will potentially lose your crops.

The Deep Water Culture technique

The deep water culture technique is officially the most expensive. It requires a big amount of water which will automatically require you to constantly monitor the quality and pH levels. An advantage of this technique is represented by the fact that it can do well in the face of an outage. Adding up, it is perfect for those that want to use different stocking levels. Also, planting and harvesting is easy due to its design. Anyway, this has downsides too. One of them is the fact that it requires a high-end filtration method and a more expensive air pump. This happens because the amount of oxygen needed is increased in the pipes. It is a system that cannot work well with tall plants and it is exposed to various diseases.

Bottom line, usually it depends on your space`s availability. But you can opt for a certain system depending on what it will offer. For small places, the grow bed media technique is perfect. The deep water culture units are recommended for those that already have experience in the domain. This is due to the fact that you will need vast knowledge about how an aquaponic system works in order to spot the issues.